Insects indicators of a changing environment


It's important to know our neighbours. And if 80 per cent of all animals are insects, then we'd better start getting acquainted.
Insects can tell us a lot about our environment and its health. But before we can learn from them, it's vital to know who they are and their role in the ecosystem. Professor Steve Marshall, environmental biology, and his research team have been working to identify insects and add new species to the University of Guelph's insect collection. They're creating a baseline from which to track species and document changes in insect abundance and
distribution.
"If you want to know what's changing, you need to know what's there," Marshall says.
The University of Guelph's insect collection is the oldest in Canada, dating back to 1863. With more than 1.5 million specimens, it ranks as the third or fourth largest insect collection in Canada and the best collection of Ontario insects. It also features world species, including one of the most important fly collections in the world.
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Kim Jin ah